'Drums Along the Waterfront'
Clinic, show find new home at UB
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

A clinic for anyone with a ticket will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the stadium prior to the performances. The clinic will be done by the Spirit of Jacksonville State University and professional musicians Ray Bennett and Tony Miranda.

Drum and bugle corps from all around the country will come together at the University at Buffalo's football stadium on Friday, July 6 for the 11th annual Drums Along the Waterfront.

This is the first year that the event, which was previously held at Dunn Tire Park in Buffalo, will be held at the university.

"UB has a beautiful artificial turf field," said event producer Jack Gaylord Jr. "And in the event of heavy rain, we can move it inside Alumni Arena."

The show of six drum and bugle corps performances, which begins at 7 p.m., will be preceded by a free educational clinic beginning at 4:30 p.m. for anyone with a ticket to the show.

The clinic affords an up-close and personal look into the activity and features a chance for attendees to break off into musical and equipment sectionals with brass, percussion and color guard members.

The Santa Clara Vanguard, which will be performing at Drums Along the Waterfront at 7 p.m. Friday, July 6 at the University at Buffalo stadium, is a six-time world champion drum and bugle corps.

Clinic participants will reconvene on the field for an interactive visual marching rehearsal.

The corps that will be running the clinic this year is the Spirit of Jacksonville State University from Alabama.

"The group used to be called the Spirit of Atlanta," Gaylord said. Due to a lack of funding, the corps entered into an agreement with Jackson State University to continue the group.

Gaylord said that every corps runs clinics differently, but the participants will be briefed by the corps before breaking into sectionals.

Clinic attendees may bring their own instruments and participate in warm-ups with the corps.

While the clinic is open to anyone,

Gaylord noted that school groups throughout Western New York will bring busloads of students to attend the clinic.

In addition to the clinic with the corps, two more free clinics will be offered at 5:45 p.m.

The first will be given on mallet vibraphone by Ray Bennett, owner of McClellan Music House in Buffalo. Bennett has performed with artists Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops and the Temptations

The second will be given by percussionist Anthony Miranda, head of the UB percussion department.

While all of the corps are not-for-profit organizations, Gaylord noted that the groups are like "the major leagues" of drum and bugle corps.

In addition to the Sprit of JSU, the other corps performing will be the Santa Clara Vanguard, Madison Scouts, Seattle Cascades, Southwind and Troopers.

"Each corps has its own personality," Gaylord said. "But when people come to these shows, a lot of them come to see Santa Clara."

He noted that the Madison Scouts are also fan favorites every year.

"They really connect with the audience."

As for the future of Drums Along the Waterfront, Gaylord said he hopes to keep the organization's relationship with UB and

that the partnership is increasing exposure of Southtowns' residents to the university and Amherst.

"I think people have a fear of the unknown," he said. "Hopefully, we're bringing people who might not normally come here, and we're not just bringing any event. We're bringing the best."

The event will be held rain or shine, and tickets are $22 for premium seats, $18 for super seats and half-price for children younger than 12. Tickets can be purchased at any tickets.com location, including the UB stadium ticket office in Alumni Arena, Tops Markets, www.tickets.com or by calling 1-888-223-6000.

For group discount tickets, call 532-2797.

Parking is free.

For more information about the clinic or the show, call 867-1618 or visit www.drumsalongthe waterfront.org.

e-mail: etaufa@beenews.com